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New materials and products for walls, floors, and countertops let you build healthier without sacrificing looks or performance.

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Green GreaseIf you're tired of spraying the ground (not to mention yourself) with petroleum distillates every time you fire up the chain saw, Stihl's got a solution for you. Vegetable-oil-based Bioplus chain lubricant and bar oil is safer for animals, micro­organisms and, best of all, you. Its flow characteristics are similar to traditional lubricants, and it has a high flash point. It's also about 94 percent biodegradable. $7.95 for a 1-liter bottle; stihl.us.com

Low-VOC Sealants Just as the paint industry is lowering the amount of VOC (volatile organic compounds) in its products, so too are caulk and adhesives manufacturers. OSI is now on board with its new Green Series H2U acrylic urethane sealant for windows and siding. Durable, easy to clean up with water, and mold-and-mildew resistant, it has a VOC content of just 5 grams per liter—twelve times less than OSI's standard polyurethane sealant. At $3.99, it costs about the same as ­regular sealants. OSI also offers low-VOC acrylic latex caulk, deck and subfloor adhesive, and drywall adhesive. greenseries.com

Rec-Room RubberWhen you're a kid, there's nothing better than playing on an old tire swing—even if that tire swing has been ground into rubber granules, wiped clean of dirt and grime, and laid down by Mommy and Daddy as colorful floor tiles in your playroom. Though used primarily in commercial buildings, ECOsand recycled-rubber tiles, which come in 36-by-36-inch or 18-by-18-inch tile sizes, work great as a soft, easy-to-clean surface for playrooms, kitchens, or home gyms. Best of all, if one tile gets worn out, you can just peel it up and slap down a new one. $6?$9 per square foot; ecosurfaces.com